Venator wrote:

What I'm saying is that if this process is regarded as effective canvassing of the general opinion of site members then whoever regards it as such is kidding themselves.

But if you (or anyone) want Sol only to heed the views of a small minority of the paid membership then there's no problem. But it's not 'listening to members', just 'listening to the few vocal members'.

As you've read my posts you know I've said that as far as I'm concerned it's Sol's site and he can modify it as he pleases. The only thing I'd object to is a change being made and dressed up as 'what the members wanted' when in fact there's no real basis in fact for that statement.

There are plenty of things that Sol could change that I might not like, there are some changes he could make and I'd applaud. Too much of the one and the site would lose its attraction for me, too much of the other and some other people might grow disenchanted. 'Hidden' reviews would be one of those things that would probably cause me to leave, I readily admit (so there's one reason to push for it...). Stuff like removing the ratings or rankings, I'm not so fussed about (though I think there's some good reasons to keep them as well as some decent ones for their removal). Some changes would really just benefit everyone and displease nobody, those I think should be the prime focus. Anyone can suggest whatever they like, that's what the forums are for, partly. But you get eight or ten or even twenty or thirty people all asking for one thing and that's, in my view, a basis for considering the idea and a careful look at its merits and drawbacks, not a mandate for change. To assume that's what most folks want, that's just not actually correct. And neither is it necessarily the case that what most folks want, or appear to want, is necessarily best for the site (or even would improve the site).

I've never suggested every (or any) suggestion should be put up for vote. Not once. I agree he'd be nuts to do so. He'd also be nuts to listen to just a handful or score of forum regulars and take that as a sort of opinion poll. In fact that's worse.

You say: "The only thing I'd object to is a change being made and dressed up as 'what the members wanted' when in fact there's no real basis in fact for that statement."

I say: "Dressed up? I haven't seen this dressing up. Is it the wolf? You've no real basis for that statement."

Now, for another suggestion, Sol: I didn't know until I recently received reviews that a 5 automatically shows up. It's misleading, and my initial reaction was violent (not really) but I felt patronized, being used to the original rating system. Maybe there shouldn't be any number at all. And THEN for those who do like giving numbers, can say "I rate this a 4 because, etc." Or they can say, "Out of 10, your dialogue is a 2." People can do that if they want. So, what do you say, Sol?

- a vocal minority drive-by -

Last edited by s_thatcher (12-19-2010 15:51:03)

I agree, Bisi.  Also, I've never bought this idea that members who don't spend lots of blabbery time in the forums (like me) aren't reading them.

Perhaps they're reading, they see what there is to see and they don't have an opinion or care one way or another.  Plenty of people just roll with the flow.

ANd nothing about 'rolling with the flow' means that those that are rollin' give a crap either way what we do.  If they're not in here posting and suggesting, like with voting, it's at their own choosing.

I certainly hope nobody is suggesting there are large numbers of regular(meaning regularly reading and posting)  members who haven't found their way to the forums~!  For goodness sake, the tab is two spaces to the left of the YOUR ACCOUNT tab.  LOL 

Susan Stec wrote:

However, I am observing, and I've gotten to know a lot about the members by doing so.

Susan

Rofl!!  Are we all over for dinner then?

I'm all for dropping the numerical ratings...too generalized. Also, as has been pointed out previously in way or another, so much of it is subjective based on the readers' tastes and interests. If I give a person a "4", someone else gives him a "3" and then he gets a "5" from a anothe reader, what can the author make of that that will assist him in improving that piece or thought for future writes? Thus, I suggest the numbers are largely irrelevant to helping the author.

Alan

If there are number I beleive they should be optional, and have a greater range, such as a 1-10

I'm tired of the numbers. It's the critique that counts. This isn't the Grammys or Emmys. This is where you get a personal opinion about your writing.  Did it make your breakfast come up? Did it bring tears to the eyes? Did you fall off your seat laughing? Or did you fall asleep from total boredom? Just tell it like it is. If revision is needed, expert opinion is always welcome. It's a rare day when no revision is needed.

LOL

That's the way it was, private, where only the one receiving the score would know. The numbers don't bother me one way or the other.

I think you can assume the quality of your reviews, by the number of readers you have. It's something like left over fish heads, the stronger they are, the more flies they attract.

Venator wrote:

WHY THE HELL ARE WE STILL GIVING REVIEWERS RATINGS?

Grrr.  Those pesky reviewers.   

Why have reviewers at all?  Make this a "paid" site only and eliminate random punters!  There must be scraps fallen from some other table to feed those unworthy scavengers of notoriety and fame.

Why have reviewers at all?

There aren't many review only members who regularly contribute, but there are a few. Why reduce the  total aggregate of reviews by removing them when people frequently complain that they don't get enough reviews anyway?

But I wasn't talking about review-only members. I was talking about the baffling fact that we no longer rate chapters (which seldom caused a forum spat) but still rate reviews (which is the cause of much anguished crying out in the forums). Madness.

wanderingwriter wrote:

jules_s wrote:

Why have reviewers at all? Make this a "paid" site only and eliminate random punters!  There must be scraps fallen from some other table to feed those unworthy scavengers of notoriety and fame.

Ahh ... this unworthy scavenger humbly begs the master to reconsider allowing her to sniff around near his feet

Although I have yet to raise the courage (or cash) to post my own work, I still want to tentatively participate in this writing community.  Pah-leese don't kick out the unworthy scrap hunters amongst you.

Welcome to the forum!  (adjusts toga).   I would like to see a wider path of success for my fellow scavengers.  Not to worry, they pay absolutely no attention to my opinions here.   

Hi Sol, I did it again.  I gave Jackson James a review on his latest poem, Just a Rose, and left the default at one.  It should have been a five.

By the way, could the default be changed to a 5 rather than 1?  That way if a reviewer Really Wants to change it, it would be known that the reviewer made the effort to do so.

Thanks for the help.  And the consideration.  I hope I don't get myself kicked off of this site!  I really do like it.

Last edited by j l mo (03-21-2011 20:36:40)